The watchword is of two kinds. One of these is the word of the tribe: for example, some take Dûrdaneh, others Tûkbai, others Lûlû, as their distinguishing watchword. The other is the watchword given out to the whole army in time of war, and consists of two words; so that, in time of action, if two parties meet, and one person gives the first word, one of the other party answers by the other word, as preconcerted, by which means, they can distinguish their own men from the enemy, and friends from foes. On the night of this occurrence, the word was Tâshkend, and the countersign Seirâm, or if Seirâm was given as the word, the answer was to be Tashkend. When they fell in with us, Khwâjeh Muhammed Ali was on my advance; and when the Moghuls came on, calling out "Tâshkend! Tâshkend!" Khwâjeh Muhammed Ali, who was a Tâjîk, in his confusion blundered out, "Tâshkend! Tâshkend!" in reply. The Moghuls, taking him for an enemy, set up the war-shout, beat their horse-drums, and let fly their arrows. In this manner, from a false alarm, we were dispersed and scattered; the plan which I had conceived failed, and I returned back to Ush, after a fruitless journey. marches After five or six days, Tambol and his adherents became disheartened and depressed Baber on learning that the people of the hills, with the low country and forts, had returned against to their obedience; and his men and soldiers began to desert and flee to the hills and Andejân. deserts. Some of those who left his army reported, that Tambol's affairs were on the verge of ruin, and that, in three or four days, he would be compelled to break up from absolute necessity. Immediately on receiving this intelligence, I mounted and marched against Andejân. Sultan Muhammed Gulbeg, the younger brother of Tambol, was in the fortress of Andejân. Advancing by way of Tûtluk,' I sent on a foraging party from Jâkân,2 on the south of Andejân, about the time of mid-day prayers. I myself followed in the rear of the foragers, till I reached the skirts of the heights of Aîsh, on the Jâkân side, when we received information from our advanced guards that Sultan Muhammed Gulbeg, with all his force, had advanced out beyond the suburbs and gardens, and was now on the skirts of the heights of Aîsh. The foragers had not yet collected, but, without waiting for them, I advanced without delay against the enemy. Gulbeg's force exceeded five hundred in number; though my men were much more numerous, yet a great proportion of them were on the foraging party, and were now scattered. When I met him, perhaps I might have with me about the same num- Skirmish ber with himself. Without minding array or order, we advanced on the enemy at full at the gallop. When we came to the charge, they could not stand us, but fled without exchanging a blow. My people followed them close up to the Jâkân Gate, dismounting and making prisoners all the way. Having routed the enemy, we reached the outskirts of the suburbs at Khwâjeh Kitteh, about the time of evening prayers. It was my wish to have ridden right up to the gates, and made a push to enter them. But the old and experienced Begs of rank, such as Nasîr Beg, the father of Dost Beg, Kamber Ali Beg, and other aged veterans, represented to me, that it was now late, and that to approach the fortress in the dark was not a wise measure; that it was better to retire a little and alight; that suburbs. Passes the by Tambol. in the morning they would have nothing left for it but to surrender the fortress. Having acquiesced in the opinion of these experienced officers, we retired from the suburbs. Had we advanced up to the gates of the fortress, there is not a shadow of doubt that the place would have fallen into our hands. It was about the hour of bed-time prayers when we passed the river Jâkân, and encamped close by the village of Rabât-e-Zourek. Although we had received intelligence of the breaking up of Tambol, and his retreat towards Andejân, yet my inexperience made me guilty of a gross oversight; for, instead of occupying the ground along the banks of the river Jâkân, which was naturally strong, and encamping there, we passed the river and halted beside the village of Rabât-e-Zourek, in a level plain, where we went to sleep in negligent security, without advanced guard and without videttes. Just before the dawn, while our men were still enjoying themselves in Surprised sleep, Kamber Ali Beg galloped up, exclaiming, "The enemy are upon us-rouse up!" Having spoken these words, without halting a moment, he passed on. I had gone to sleep, as was my custom even in times of security, without taking off my jâmâ, or frock, and instantly arose, girt on my sabre and quiver, and mounted my horse. My standard-bearer seized the standard, but without having time to tie on the horse-tail and colours; but, taking the banner-staff in his hand just as it was, leaped on horseback, and we proceeded towards the quarter in which the enemy were advancing. When I first mounted, there were ten or fifteen men with me. By the time I had advanced a bowshot, we fell in with the enemy's skirmishers. At this moment there might be about ten men with me. Riding quick up to them, and giving a discharge of our arrows, we came upon the most advanced of them, attacked and drove them back, and continued to advance, pursuing them for the distance of another bowshot, when we fell in with the main body of the enemy. Sultan Ahmed Tambol was standAdvances ing, with about a hundred men. Tambol was speaking with another person in front of the line, and in the act of saying, "Smite them! Smite them!" but his men were sideling in a hesitating way, as if saying, "Shall we flee? Let us flee!" but yet standing still. At this instant there were left with me only three persons: one of these was Dost Nâsir, another Mirza Kûli Gokultâsh, and Kerîmdad Khodâidâd, the Turkoman, the third. One arrow, which was then on the notch, I discharged on the helmet of Tambol, and again applied my hand to my quiver, and brought out a greentipped barbed arrow,' which my uncle, the Khan, had given me. Unwilling to throw it away, I returned it to the quiver, and thus lost as much time as would have allowed of shooting two arrows. I then placed another arrow on the string, and advanced, while ~ the other three lagged a little behind me. Two persons came on right to meet me; one of them was Tambol, who preceded the other. There was a highway between us. He mounting on one side of it as I mounted on the other, we encountered on it in such a manner, that my right hand was towards my enemy, and Tambol's right hand towards me. Except the mail for his horse, Tambol had all his armour and accoutrements complete. I had only my sabre and bow and arrows. I drew up to my ear, and sent right for him the arrow which I had in my hand. At that very moment, an ar on Tambol. Wounded. 1 Or perhaps a green finger-guard—goshehgír sir sebz.-Pers. row of the kind called Sheibah struck me on the right thigh, and pierced through and through. I had a steel cap on my head. Tambol, rushing on, smote me such a blow on it with his sword as to stun me; though not a thread of the cap was penetrated, yet my head was severely wounded. I had neglected to clean my sword, so that it was rusty, and I lost time in drawing it. I was alone and single in the midst of a multitude of enemies. It was no season for standing still; so I turned my bridle round, receiving another sabre stroke on the arrows in my quiver. I had gone back seven or eight paces, when three foot soldiers came up and joined us. Tambol now attacked Dost Nâsir sword in hand. They followed us about a bowshot. Arigh-Jakân-shah is a large and deep stream, which is not fordable everywhere; but God directed us aright, so that we came exactly upon one of the fords of the river. Immediately on crossing the river, the horse of Dost Nâsir fell from weakness. We halted to remount him, and, passing among the hillocks that are between Khirabûk and Feraghîneh, and going from one hillock to another, we proceeded by bye-roads towards Ush. When we were leaving these hillocks, Mazîd Taghâi met and joined Escapes to us. He had been wounded by an arrow in the right leg, below the knee; though it had not pierced through and through, yet he reached Ush with much difficulty. The enemy slew many of my best men. Nâsir Beg, Muhammed Ali Mobasher, Khwâjeh Muhammed Ali, Khosrû Gokultâsh, and Niamân Chihreh, fell on that day. A great many cavaliers and soldiers also fell at the same time. Ush. Khans near ern districts younger The Khans having followed close after Tambol, took post in the vicinity of Ande- Joins the jân. The elder Khan had his quarters on the edge of the Kûrûk (or Park) in the Andejän. garden of my grandmother Isan-doulet Begum, which is known by the name of Kûshtagermân.1 The younger Khan had his quarters near the Langer or convent of Baba Tawakel. After two days I came from Ush, and waited on the elder Khan at Kûshtagermân. On this first visit he made over to the younger Khan all the places which The southI had gained possession of, giving me for an excuse, that as an enemy so formidable as of Ferghana Sheibâk Khan had taken the city of Samarkand, and was daily increasing in power, it given to the had become necessary to summon the younger Khan from a great distance; that he Khan. had no possessions in this quarter; that it was therefore expedient to give him the country south of the river of Khojend, including Andejân, that he might have a convenient station and place in which to fix himself. The districts to the north of the river of Khojend, along with Akhsi, were promised to me; and after settling this country, they were to proceed against Samarkand, which was to be conferred on me; when the whole of Ferghâna was to be ceded to the younger Khan. It is probable that all this talk was merely to over-reach me; and that in case of success they would have forgot their promises. However, there was no help for it. Willing or not, I was obliged to appear contented with this arrangement. On leaving the elder Khan, I mounted and went to visit the younger Khan. On the road, Kamber Ali, who was Kamber known by the name of the Skinner, came up alongside of me, and said, "Do you ob- vice. serve? they are taking away from you the countries which you possess. Depend upon it, you will never gain anything at their hands. Now that you have Ush, and Mar 1 Bird's Mill.--Leyden. Ali's ad Khan. ghinân, Uzkend, and the country of the Ils and Ulûses, set out at once for Ush, fortify all your castles, dispatch some person to Sultan Ahmed Tambol, to conclude a peace, join in attacking and driving out the Moghuls, and then make a division of the country between yourself and younger brother." I answered, "It is more satisfactory to me, as the Khans are my own family and kinsmen, to be a vassal of theirs, than a Sovereign along with Tambol." Perceiving that I did not approve of his suggestion, Baber visits he seemed to regret having mentioned it, and drew off. I went on and saw my uncle the younger the younger Khan. In my first interview with him, I had come upon him unexpectedly, and gone up to him at once, so that he had not even time to dismount from his horse, and our meeting took place without ceremony. On this occasion, however, when I had approached near, he came out hastily, beyond the range of his tent ropes, and as I walked with considerable pain, and with a staff in my hand, from the arrowwound in my thigh, he ran up and embraced me, saying, "Brother, you have behaved like ́a hero!” and taking me by the arm, led me into the tent. His tent was but small. As he had been brought up in a rude and remote country, the place in which he sat was far from being distinguished for neatness, and had much of the air of a marauder's. Melons, grapes, and stable furniture were all lying huddled about in the same tent in which he was sitting. Khan's Moghul sur geon. Baber goes against Kâsån and Akhsi. seton. After getting up from the little Khan's, I came to my own camp, when he sent me his own Yakhshi or Surgeon to examine my wound. The Moghuls term a surgeon Yakhshi. He was wonderfully skilful in surgery. If a man's brains had come out, he could cure him by medicine; and even where the arteries were cut, he healed them with the utmost facility. To some wounds he applied a kind of plaster; and to some wounded persons he gave a medicine to be swallowed. To the wound in my thigh he applied the skin of some fruits which he had prepared and dried, and did not insert a He also once gave me something like a vein to eat, and said, "A man had once the bone of his leg broken in such a manner that a part of the bone, of the size of the hand, was completely shattered to pieces. I cut open the integuments, extracted the whole of the shattered bones, and inserted in their place a pulverized preparation; the preparation grew in the place of the bone, and became bone itself, and the leg was perfectly cured." He told me many similar strange and wonderful stories of cures, such as the surgeons of our countries are totally unable to accomplish. Three or four days afterwards, Kamber Ali, being apprehensive of evil consequences from the conversation which he had had with me, fled to Andejân. After a few days, the Khans, having held a consultation, sent Ayûb Begchik, with his Tumân, Jan Hassan Bârin, with the Tumân of Barîns, and Sarik Bâsh Mirza, as commander of the detachment, with a thousand or two thousand men to attend me, and dispatched us towards Akhsi. Sheikh Bayezîd, Tambol's younger brother, held Akhsi, and Shahbâz Karlûk1 held Kâsân. On this occasion, Shahbâz came out and took post in advance of the fortress of Noukend. Having passed the river of Khojend Advances to unobserved, opposite to Ata, I hastened by a rapid march towards Noukend to surprize Shahbâz. Just before morning, when we were hard upon Noukend, my Begs Noukend. 1 Karbuk.-Persian. represented to me that in all probability Shahbâz had got notice of our approach; that therefore it was better not to advance in disorder, but slowly and in regular array. We therefore advanced deliberately, and, as we approached, Shahbâz, who had in reality been off his guard, and ignorant of our motions, on being apprized of our coming, fled away and took shelter in the fortress. Things very often turn out just as they did on this occasion. On its being suggested that the enemy must be acquainted with our motions, enterprises are easily given up, and the moment for action is lost. The result of my experience on these matters is, that after we have formed our plan, and are in the moment of execution, we ought to admit of no remission of activity or exertion in carrying it through; for afterwards what do regret and repining avail? When it was morning, there was some fighting around the fort, but I made no serious attack. From Noukend we proceeded towards the hills near Push-Khârân, for the purpose of plundering. Shahbâz Kârlûk availing himself of the opportunity, abandoned Noukend and threw himself into Kâsân. On my return I took up my quarters in Noukend. During the interval that followed, my troops made various excursions in different directions. On one occasion they fell upon the villages of Akhsi; on another they plundered those of Kâsân. Shahbâz, with the adopted son of Uzun Hassan, one Mîram, came out to fight, and did engage; but they were defeated, and Mîram fell in the action. clares for One of the strongest fortresses of Akhsi, is Pâp, the garrison of which declared for Pap deme, put it in a state of defence, and sent a messenger to call me in; when I dispatched him. Syed Kâsim with a detachment, who passed the river1 opposite to some villages above Akhsi, and marching on, entered the castle of Pâp. A few days after this, an event worthy of notice occurred. At this time, Ibrâhim Attempt to Chapûk Tâghâi, Ahmed Kâsim Kohbur, and Kâsim Jangeh Arghûn, with Sheikh surprise Pâp Bayezîd, were in Akhsi. Tambol one night sent these officers with about two hundred chosen men to surprise Pâp. Syed Kâsim had gone to sleep without taking the proper precautions for guarding the place. The enemy having reached the fort, applied their scaling-ladders, mounted the walls, seized the gate, let down the draw-bridge, and introduced seventy or eighty of their men, before Syed Kâsim received intelligence of what was passing. Half awakened from his sleep, he rushed out just as he was, in his vest, and with five or six others, began to discharge arrows upon them, and molested them so effectually by dint of repeated attacks, that he drove them out of the fort, and fails. cut off the heads of some of them, which he sent me. Though it was very unworthy of a Captain to go to sleep in this negligent manner, yet, with a few men, to drive out such a number of brave soldiers clad in mail, merely by hard fighting and the edge of the sword, was a most gallant exploit. All this time the Khans were engaged in the siege of the fortress of Andejân. The garrison, however, would not suffer him to approach it, and parties of horse frequently sallied out and skirmished with the besiegers. Sheikh Bayezid, who was in Akhsi, now made a show of being devoted to my in 1 Probably the river of Kâsân. |